Source of inspiration
by Mandylor Mirage
Summary: Hermione is worrying about her NEWTS coming up, and gets unexpected help from her professor. But she and her friends stumble onto bigger problems as the fight against Voldemort is getting closer.
1. Unexpected help

This is my first attempt at a Harry Potter fic, so I hope you like it, and if you don't - review and tell me what you think I should change.

Pairing: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

Rating: R

If anyone has a problem with these pairings, then don't read this story! All sorts of reviews are welcome, but flames complaining about the pairings are just unnecessary, so if you don't like, don't read, OK?

Otherwise, please read and review!

Oh and I don't own anything, JKR does:)

* * *

**Source of inspiration**

**Chapter one**

**Unexpected help**

* * *

Hermione dropped her quill on the bit of parchment, raising her hands to her head for support. Two hours ago she had started this simple assignment, and still she couldn't finish it. As her frustration was getting the better of her, Hermione got out of the chair of the library to take a walk around the aisles in search of inspiration. The smell of books had always helped her in her work previously, and the atmosphere of an empty library packed with knowledge just waiting to be sought out was also renewed her spirit to learn. But today it seemed as thought nothing could relieve her mind of the tension she was feeling.

NEWTS were coming up, and though she always felt like a nervous wreck before an important examination, this time it was much worse. Her frail nerves were hindering her work from progressing, and she couldn't manage to snap out of it.

Peeking out the window, Hermione noticed that it was dark outside. Maybe she had been sitting there longer than she thought. Suddenly she heard the sound of another pair of feet silently treading the library floor besides her own. Who could possibly have any business in the library at this late an hour? For all she knew, she was the only one in school who would do such a thing.

"Studying late, _Miss Granger?"_

The silkyvoice could belong to no one else than Professor Snape. Hermione turned from the windows to face her Potions Professor, smiling gently. He may be mean to his students every waken hour, but there was no way that he would get her in an even worse mood then she already was. But before she could answer, he had reached for one of her Advanced Potions book, amongst many others on the same subject.

"A little light reading, I see." Snape said, his voice the usual dripping with sarcasm.

Hermione cringed inwardly for not choosing this day to study Arithmancy or Transfiguration. Or anything else for that matter. She knew how much he loved scolding her for her work in the subject, even though Hermione _knew_ she was one of his best students. Just not by his standards, maybe.

"Yes, I'm preparing for the NEWTS," she said as courteously and dignified as she could.

"The Gryffindor common hall is too crowded and noisy to get any work done."

At least she wasn't lying about that, it was almost unthinkable for her to study the same way Ron or Harry did, surrounded by so many others.

"I can imagine..." Snape's voice was still as sarcastic and unwelcoming to continuing the conversation as ever, so she knew better than to try and small talk with him. If she just stood there long enough, he was sure to go away.

"And I know you and the rest of your _adventurous, lawbreaking trio _have problems respecting the curfew within these grounds, but _do _try not to stay here too long." His voice was back at the intimidating sneer she was getting quite used to hear. Seven years being taught by him, and still it had not lost its effect.

"I would just _hate_ to give any of you detention. _Again." _Snape's mouth curled up slightly at that last word, indicating he would want nothing _more _than to give her detention right then and there, if for nothing else than just annoying him with her presence.

"Yes, Professor." Hermione couldn't think of anything else to say. Trying to defy him would be like signing her own death warrant.

Some excruciatingly long seconds later, Hermione saw him turn to leave, and she released the breath she had been holding.

And that's when she remembered her current problem. A problem that had occurred while studying for her Potions NEWTS, a problem that probably only Snape could help her with.

"Er, P-Professor?" Her voice was weak and feeble, and hardly carried across the room; still Snape turned abruptly and stared her down with one of his icy glares, a malevolent smirk playing on his lips. There was no doubt he noticed her fear-induced stammer.

"Uh, I was just wondering, you see I..." her increasingly weaker voice was interrupted by the stern voice of her Professor.

"I can assure that whatever you wish to say to me, I will be losing my patience for every time you do that ridiculous stammer, so speak clearly and be done with it, will you?"

Hermione only became more nervous by Snape's outburst and deadly stare, but defied her fear and continued.

"I need your help. I am, as you can clearly see, studying for my NEWTS in Potions." She gestured to the books scattered across the entire table.

The face of her Professor changed considerably, from irritation, to sheer disgusted confusion.

Apparently, he was either not used to students approaching him for help, or he was just not used to _this student _approaching him for help. Hermione had to admit that she had never done so before.

And suddenly the prospect of receiving help from Professor Snape seemed the most unwanted thing in the world, giving her a renewed will to want to solve the problem by herself.

"But I realise you're probably busy, so never mind, I'll figure it out myself. Pardon me for asking, Professor." She gave a courteous nod, before returning to the table, sitting down and picking up a book. Continuing with her 'if I only ignore him long enough, he'll go away' philosophy, she stared even harder into her Advanced Potions book.

"What do you need help with?"

The impact his voice had made that moment was probably not clear to anyone but her self, at least he hoped it was not, because it certainly felt like someone had struck her with a sledge hammer to the stomach. He had _almost_ sounded polite.

"I do realise that you think me too busy to help one of my students, and I can assure you that there are may other things I would rather be doing –"The sneering sarcasm was back in his voice as he had approached her table silently.

"But Dumbledore is insisting that I dedicate more time to the students around NEWTS time."

In spite of herself, Hermione lifted her gaze from the book to look at her Professor. The explanation that he was required to spend more time helping students because '_Dumbledore said so'_ did not satisfy her. No doubt Dumbledore had told him to be more forgiving to Harry for something his father had done, as well, but he was still as cruel to him as ever. Then it struck her that he might think of it as a challenge. She was sure Snape wasn't approached frequently about helping someone in the subject he taught, and when she had tried to back down from her enquiry, he might have made the assumption that he would most definitely say no. And though she had nothing to base it on; Hermione felt sure that Snape was not one to do what others expected him to. It was his way of getting the upper hand on someone.

She let her eyes travel from the buttoned, black wool coat up to his face, sallow and bleak as ever, further to his eyes, and was instantly met by the trademark deadly glare which he used to reserve for Neville Longbottom especially, after a particularly bad cauldron-melting experience.

"That is, if you are planning to quit staring at me sometime today, and get on with explaining what it is you are having difficulties with."

Mortified, Hermione returned her eyes to the book, clearing her throat.

* * *

Not as much as thirty minutes later, they had gone over most of the parts in the Potions curriculum she had had difficulties with (and Hermione took great pride in the fact that it wasn't all that much at all.) Her professor had been surprisingly polite, at least compared to how he used to treat his students. He had still been sarcastic at times, and unappreciative of Hermione taking too long to explain. But all in all, it had not been as bad as she had expected.

She had found herself staring at her professor at times, as he was absorbed in the books trying to explain whatever she was experiencing as difficult. Well, 'absorbed' would probably be a poor way to describe it; Snape was never one to show any emotions. He looked as cold and stiff as ever, but still she could notice him loosen up slightly as she asked him the right questions, the challenging ones. He really was dedicated to his work, although he always seems utterly bored in class. Though she could imagine herself having to teach so many students a difficult subject such as this when they have absolutely no interest whatsoever to learn it.

Then, suddenly her mind came to itself, asking herself _why _she had caught herself staring at Snape, of all people. The man every student in Hogwarts detested for being the ever-sarcastic, cruel and greasy git who picked more on the weaker students in class than the ones who could handle it. And who favoured his little Slytherins no matter _how_ stupid they were. Hermione was still amazed by the fact that Crabbe and Goyle had made it this far without ever requiring Remedial Potions.

"_Miss Granger!"_

The outburst of her highly un-amused Professor had almost frightened her into having a given heart attack, but somehow she managed to regain her composure as she snapped out of her own thoughts.

"I assure you, I will not condone you making a habit out of staring at me."

Hermione felt a blush creep up her cheeks and she quickly brought her gaze down to her book, muttering an apology without daring to meet his eyes. Fortunately, she did not have to, as he continued speaking.

"As it seems, we have gone through the topics you had difficulties with, and as it is also past your curfew, I suggest you leave for the Gryffindor common room." Snape's voice sounded less dangerous now, and Hermione felt relief surging through her that he had dismissed her without giving her detention for her behaviour. Though it was nothing for a normal teacher to give detention for, she would put nothing past Snape.

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry, Professor. Just a little tired, that's all." She did not take her time in packing up her books, just scraped them into her book bag carelessly to get out of there as soon as possible.

"Well then you should have said so, Miss Granger, and I would have cut the session short." He seemed to have been caught somewhat off guard with her statement, and in realising that they had been in the library longer than expected, but he withheld his composure as he spoke again.

"Now I suggest that you hurry on your way back so that no other teachers will see you. Wouldn't want to see Professor McGonagall be forced to give her precious little Gryffindor detention for staying out past curfew." He had taken a step forward then, and stood close enough for Hermione to pick up on a faint smell of spices from the various ingredients of Potion making. Then he lowered his voice considerably before continuing, looking down at her as menacingly as only Professor Snape could.

"And believe me, I would not be there to provide you with a safe alibi for scurrying about the castle this late."

Then he turned as violently as he had when Hermione had asked him for help, stalking off into the corridor.

Hermione was seriously disappointed to see him leave, and once again, that little voice inside her head asked her exactly _why _she would feel that way.

'She admired him, that's it' she thought. And why wouldn't she? A man of his intelligence, that acerbic wit and those sarcastic comments quite pertinent as long as she wasn't on the receiver's end. Oh dear God, now she sounded like a silly schoolgirl with a crush. Which was definitely _not _what she was.

She shook those thoughts out of head as she followed the path Snape had taken down the corridor, heading for Gryffindor Tower. But as she was about to set foot on the first step of the stairs, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her book. The Advanced Potions book with all her notes in it was still lying in the library, she must have forgotten it after her session with Snape.

Running back to the library in a haste suggesting that a matter of life and death was involved; Hermione didn't even consider trying to be as silent as a Head Girl wandering the halls out at night was expected to. Not that she could use her status as an excuse was she ever caught. As a Head Girl she only had a couple of hours later curfew, and it was well past that time now.

But this was a matter of great importance to her. To anyone else, forgetting a book in the library would be nothing more than a minor hitch in their plans. But to Hermione Granger it was one of the worst things that could happen. She depended on books, they provided her with comfort if she was feeling out of sorts, and the universe of books was always a place she could rely on for escaping, if her friends did not understand her.

As she reached the library, she was relieved to see that Madam Pince had not locked the door. Though she hadn't done so ever since Hermione became Head Girl and was awarded with the trust of staying in the library to lock up herself after Madam Pince had left.

As fast as she could, Hermione got herself and her book out of there, and had just finished locking up as she turned, promptly crashing into a wall of black, the stomach of her Potions Professor. The strength of the impact caused her to stumble backwards, and suddenly she felt herself losing contact with the ground. Hermione closed her eyes and prepared for the fall, but instead noticed that she once again had solid ground beneath her feet. And the two strong arms of her Snape holding her up - one around her waist and one holding her left wrist.

As she opened her eyes, she stared instinctively into his black eyes, expecting his trademark deadly glare, but was instead met by another expression, one she had not seen before on his face. A mixture of anger and confusion was evident, she thought, but there was there was something else there as well, something she could not identify.

It was only then she realised the situation they were in. Snape held a firm grip on her lower back and left wrist, and Hermione could not help but connect their position to dancing. She had barely stifled a giggle, but Snape had still noticed the amusement in her face, for he dropped his grip on her instantly, taking a long step back. Instantly, Hermione felt a void on her back where his hand had been, and her wrist was tingling slightly from the sensation of human contact. It had been a long time since anyone had gotten that close to her.

Snape seemed to have been thinking along those same lines, but he quickly recovered, and Hermione could see him already forming a scathing remark in his head.

"Did I not say that you were to go straight to Gryffindor Tower, Miss Granger?" Never before had she heard him sound this malicious, his eyes reduced to two dark slits as he watched her carefully.

"And yet here you are, wandering about as though you own the place." Hermione didn't know how to respond, so she took what she believed to be the best path possible, staying silent.

"Tell me, Miss Granger, has your friend Potter's belief that he is above the school rules rubbed off on you?"

"No, Sir, I assure you, I was just –"Hermione bit back her apology, as Snape was apparently not in the mood for explanations. Hermione briefly wondered if this was punishment, for getting too close to him only moments before.

"You were just what, Miss Granger? Seeing just how far you could manage to bend the school rules without getting caught?"

Hermione knew she had to tread carefully around him, and deliberated long and hard for her answer, staring intently down on her shoes. But before she could respond to him, he had already made up his mind on what to do about her current 'situation'.

"_Detention_, Miss Granger," Snape said silkily, his eyes staring at her with such a force they almost bored a hole in her head.

Her eyes widened as she brought her gaze up to meet his again, but she knew there was no way of getting herself out of this one.

"And since you seem to be so fond of staying up late, then your detention will begin at midnight tomorrow. There are some Potion ingredients that need collecting, and it can only be done at night." His voice was more malicious than ever, and Hermione had no difficulty imagining how he had been as a Death Eater. And for the second time that night, he had turned to stalk off down the corridor, but she could still hear him raise his voice for one last comment.

"And dress sensibly, Miss Granger."

Hermione had a feeling it would be the worst detention she had ever had.

* * *

A/N: There will be some more plot introduced in the next chapter, just so you know. And I would be very grateful if you would take the time to review, to tell me if you think this is a story worth continuing!


	2. Nightmares and detention

A/N: This chapter covers both Hermione and Snape's point of view, so I hope it doesn't seem to confusing. Great big thanks to all those who reviewed and corrected some of my mistakes!

And no, English isn't my first language. But I'm learning it as we speak, so I suspect it'll get better:) So if anything sounds a little odd, blame it on my Norglish (Norwegian English)()

And I don't own anything, J.K Rowling does. I make no profit either, so please don't sue;)

* * *

**Source of inspiration**

**Chapter two - **

**Nightmares and detention**

* * *

Severus Snape retreated to his chambers with a slight purr in his head, a sure warning sign of the headache about to set in. It was late, much later than he usually went to bed, but as usual, a student had kept him up. This time it was that annoying Gryffindor know-it-all Hermione Granger.

It was his first day off in weeks, due to the fact that things had been incredibly hectic lately. Snape had been planning on a quiet night in (not that that meant he ever took a night 'out'), so he had been heading for the library for something sufficient to read. His book collection was quite the impressive one, but at the moment he wasn't all that interested in reading about Potions or anything otherwise related to the subject he taught. He wanted some real literature, something relaxing.

But as he reached the library, he noticed that he was not the only one there. Standing behind a table, barely visible through the large piles of books, was Miss Granger. And as any other student would look if they met the infamous, cruel and greasy Potions professor in a dark library late at night, she looked livid with fear. He took some perverse pride in it, him being the reason for her fear.

In lack of any other means of entertainment Severus didn't feel like just grabbing the first and best book he could find to flee the scene as fast as possible. He stayed put, and wearing his worst threatening face he punished her for him having a horrible day, taking his anger out on her. It wasn't until he no longer could get any satisfaction from tormenting the young girl, and decided to leave, that he realised his mistake. In a weak and feeble voice, the girl had asked him for help on a problem in Potions. Now there was something he didn't expect. Severus couldn't decide on whether she had gone mad, or if this was some stupid prank her friends had thought up. He clearly wasn't doing his job of being the intimidating greasy git well enough if a student would willingly spend her free time with him. But it had not been a prank, he realised, and as Miss Granger had tried to back out of it in the last second, he had made his decision.

Severus did not like the insinuation that the girl thought he would say no just because he didn't want to spend time with her more than she with him. The girl had offered him a challenge, and he _never _backed out of a challenge. If help was what she wanted, then that was what she would get. Severus imagined she would excuse herself from his company as soon as she realised what she had gotten herself into.

But she hadn't excused herself, just looked at him with those big brown eyes as he was talking about something, being genuinely interested, trying to ingest as much of what he said as possible. And then there was the fact that he had caught her staring at him as much as two times. He didn't quite know what to make of it, it wasn't as though he was used to that happening. But then again, the most fearsome teacher at Hogwarts had suddenly found tine in his busy schedule to help a student, something which hardly ever happened, so it was no wondered she was surprised. She had probably just tried to determine whether or not he was another person disguised with the help of poly juice potion.

And then there was that episode outside the library. The silly chit of girl had not only gone forgotten her book on Advanced Potions, she had also crashed into him on the way out. And clumsy as she was, she had fallen. Severus had for a fraction of a second considered letting her fall, but for some reason he had reached for her wrist and pulled her up by her waist.

That's when he became aware of the fact that little Miss Granger wasn't exactly shaped like a little girl anymore. Horrified by his own thoughts and the intimacy of the situation, he released her as if she was poisonous, and within a second he had turned his anger from himself to her.

Getting up from his favourite chair by the fireplace and heading to his bedchambers, thoughts of the day's events still refused to be pushed from his mind.

It had been a long time since anyone's gotten that close.

It had been a long time since he had _let_ anyone get that close.

_

* * *

_

_Hermione found herself standing in a dark dungeon, feeling quite claustrophobic as the four damp stonewalls surrounding her seemed more menacing than she had ever remembered walls to be._

_Suddenly Harry was standing in front of her with a playful smirk on his face. Or was it Draco? She couldn't really tell, funny she hadn't noticed how alike they were before._

_But as he started to speak she could hear him, of course it was Harry._

"_Hello, 'Mione! Are you coming to watch me play Quidditch today? I've got a brand new broom, you know," said Harry, as he reached his hand out to Hermione. _

_She smiled and reached out her hand, but pulled it back as she suddenly saw the broomstick turning into an enormous, silvery snake, turning against Harry and reaching for his neck. _

"_No! Harry watch out!" she tried to scream, but the words were caught high in her throat. Then the snake had bitten clear through Harry's neck, and he sank crumpled into a bloody heap on the floor. _

_Hermione wanted to scream and cry, but she couldn't do either, and as the snake turned to her, freezing her to the spot with his sharp, emerald green eyes. Slowly it was writhing its way to her, hissing just as she had heard Harry do that time at the Duelling Club with Lockhart and Snape._

_And suddenly she could hear the hissing voice whispering inside her head as well. _

"_Kill him, Hermione."_

_The voice hurt her head, and she brought her hands to her ears, but the voice just kept talking to her. _

"_Kill him."_

_A little more insistent this time, and the pain in her head increased. _

'_Just whom was she supposed to kill?' Hermione thought._

_And then the voice again, more painful than ever._

'_No' she thought. _

'_Get... out...'_

"_Just reach for your wand and kill him... I know you can, Hermione..." Then the voice died out, replaced by another, far more comfortable voice as the snake faded to black._

"_Well, well, what have we here?" Severus Snape was standing before her, speaking to her with that silky, rich baritone of his. Hermione shuddered as his hand reached out towards her face, long elegant fingers carefully tracing her jaw-line. _

"_Looks like our famous Gryffindor is lost, isn't she?"_

_He took a step closer. 'Yes' she thought. 'Take me home'_

_Snape was close enough to touch now, his fingers moving enticingly across her face, down to her neck, before his mouth followed suit to a very sensitive spot close to her collarbone. _

"_Do you like this, Hermione?" His breath was on her neck now, moving up to her face again, and lingering over her lips. Not a trace of his habitual sneer was left, just a soft, silky voice making her weak in the knees. _

"_Yes," she said in a whisper, while closing her eyes and arching her body into his. _

_But then she could no longer feel his breath on her face, or hear that sensual voice – and everything became cold._

"'_Mione!" Suddenly he was calling for her, why was he calling for her?_

_And why had he gone away? _

"'Mione!"

Harry was standing over her, both hands on her shoulders, nudging her awake.

"Harry? What are you –"

"Ah, you're up," he said casually, as though he had been standing over her when she woke up by coincidence instead of being the reason for it. He let go of her shoulders and straightened up, wearing a smile that erased any feeling of anger Hermione had towards him at the moment. Though he had woken he up in quite the interesting dream, she wasn't even sure what to characterize it as - dream or nightmare?

"Well, aren't we quite the little sleepy head?"

She didn't respond to his remark, as sunlight suddenly streamed in the window when Harry pulled the blinds away. Hermione winced before her eyes could adjust to it. Her nightmare must have lasted long; it felt as though she had hardly slept at all through the night. She slowly got up in bed, her joints still in a state of sleep disagreeing with her movement.

Then she took in the situation before her. Both Harry and Ron inside her bedroom, early in the morning and wearing expressions like she'd missed the out on something big.

Harry read her puzzled expression, and answered before she could ask.

"Hey, you can't tell us the password for your Head Girl room and then expect us not to use it. And besides, we thought something was up when you didn't show for the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw quidditch match."

Hermione turned her head, seeing Ron sitting on the edge of her chest of clothes, looking rather bothered by the situation. He had always been awkward with her, and she guessed that being in her bedroom when she was only wearing her nightclothes would not make it any better.

Then suddenly realisation hit her. She had to get up much earlier tomorrow, if she was going to get any studying done at all, with the detention business and all.

"Oh Gods, I've overslept!" Hermione rushed out of bed, making an already uncomfortable Ron blush till his face matched his hair.

"It's Saturday, Hermione!" Harry called after her as she ran to the bathroom.

"You'd think she never got enough school, the way she carries on in the weekends," Ron noted, still looking a bit disgruntled.

"So what were you doing last night, since you were so tired this morning? Usually you're up at the crack of dawn," Harry sounded amused as he spoke, and Hermione wondered if he really thought she was keeping someone from him. Which she was not at all.

"You will not believe what happened," Hermione said as she slumped down on the bed, a brush in her hand trying to entangle the big mass of copper brown curls as she spoke. They were still rioting as much as ever, maybe even more. But a haircut fitting perfectly for the shape of her face and her hair, it looked much more natural.

"I got detention with Snape."

The two boys' eyes widened from her revelation and Ron especially looked furious.

"What?!" he spluttered, rising from where he had been seated.

"That greasy git gave you detention? What sort of crap has the fucker thought up now?"

Hermione ignored his outburst, getting off the bed and moving towards the window. If he couldn't ask her properly what had happened, she wouldn't gratify him with an answer. Absently she rubbed the bracelet her mother had sent to her just yesterday as an early birthday present. It was itching uncomfortably even though it was made of silver, but she didn't remove it. 'Uncomfortable or not, it was a present from someone she loved dearly,' Hermione thought while rubbing the skin under two sapphires in silvery circles. Suddenly she felt the two pairs of eyes on her and turned her attention from the bracelet.

"I don't believe you did anything to deserve it, Hermione," Harry said empathically.

She gave a weak smile in return. "No, I guess not... I was just studying in the library, and then he suddenly turned up there, and I remembered that I needed help, and so I asked him..."

"What?!" Ron's second outburst was more furious than the first, his face reddening with anger by the second.

Hermione had always thought Ron's untimely tendency to overreact would blow over as he grew older, though it seemed that it was only getting worse. Or maybe she was just becoming more sick of it.

"No, Ron, that's not why he gave me detention..." said Hermione, tired of having to explain everything to him so carefully.

"He helped for a while until I had everything under control, and then we discovered it was past curfew, so he sent me back to Gryffindor Tower. But then I remembered that I had left my book on Advanced Potions in the library, so I went to get it, and..." Hermione's voice had become weaker by the word.

"- And then I crashed into him on my way out, and he gave me detention" The last words were barely audible.

Hermione Granger was _not _a girl to get detention. Of all her seven years in school, she could not think of one time where a detention had been caused by her, and not her two more attention drawing and accident-prone friends.

And now, in her last year, her last month even, she had gotten detention all without their help. Hermione shivered at the thought of some of their boyish recklessness having rubbed off on her, as she pictured rolling around in the mud, digging up worms for ingredients to her demanding professor.

How would she ever survive?

* * *

It was five minutes past midnight now, and still the Granger girl hadn't shown. Not only had she disobeyed his orders last night, now it also seemed that she plans to disregard his orders once more. Severus was furious.

"Professor?" The voice was weak and barely audible, but undoubtedly the voice of Hermione Granger.

"You are five minutes late, miss Granger." Snape covered his surprise well, fixing her with a deadly glare to match his statement about her tardiness.

"Did you think that since I would be so fortunate as to experience the grace of your presence, you would be allowed to keep me waiting? Tut tut, miss Granger." He shook his head slightly, hoping to make his point about her being an insufferable little know-it-all.

"You should know by now that I am by no means impressed by you current status as Potter's sidekick. And you can rest assured that I will never become that, either. Now perhaps we could get to work?"

Maybe that would shut her up. And if not, he could always use a silencing spell.

* * *

Five measly little seconds late for her detention, and he was in an uproar. As Head Girl, Hermione knew how to be punctual, but an encounter with Peeves in the hallway outside the Gryffindor common room had sabotaged her strict schedule in the NEWTS season. And she would not be the least bit surprised if it was Snape himself who had set Peeves to torment her that night, so that he could have something to yell at her for.

And then when she finally turned up, she was not even allowed to explain herself. How could she have ever thought anything good about that man?

She was in a blazing fury herself, by the time he suggested to get to work. But Hermione had good control over her emotions, and did not her anger slip through her façade. She would not give him the satisfaction of saying something she might regret, and therefore allowing him to punish her even more. And she knew at the moment, that the things struggling to escape her mouth were reasons enough to have her expelled. Which would be nothing more than Christmas come early for Snape.

The biggest surprise, however, was her appointed task. Collecting different night herbs and plants from the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. Hermione was definitely sure no one would believe her if she said she had spent the night with Snape, picking flowers and such.

"What's the matter, Miss Granger? You do know what kind of plants these are, do you not?" Snape testily gestured to the sheet of parchment he had given her.

"Yes, of course I do. It was just the combination of them I was wondering about. Which potion are you making?"

"That, Miss Granger, is none of your business. Just pick the plants, remember to bring the stems and a sufficient amount of leaves, and hand them to me, unharmed."

His answer only fuelled her curiosity, because though he wouldn't normally give her that type of information, he had answered a little too quickly and brusquely. Hermione knew she had seen most of these plants used as ingredients in the same potions, she could just not figure out where.

As she started her collecting, Professor Snape moved on the inside of the forest, slowly walking with his gaze glued to the ground. And Hermione's mind started to remember the nightmare she had had the night before.

She had spent quite the amount of time thinking about it, because it had been so much more different than any usual dream, it had felt so real. And not only real, it had felt as though there was someone inside her head, talking to her.

That was when she had remembered in which potion she had seen these exact plants used as ingredients. The Dreamless Sleep Potion.

Hermione shot a quick glance at her professor quizzingly. Why would he be brewing the Dreamless Sleep Potion? Or more importantly, to whom?

* * *

Half an hour later, Hermione had gathered all the herbs and plants from the list Snape had given her. They had been relatively easy to find, except for some which she had to go further into the forest to collect. She was surprise to discover that detention hadn't been half as bad as what you could expect from Professor Snape. Potions had always interested Hermione, and collecting ingredients such as these could hardly be considered punishment. Breaking her train of thoughts, she headed towards her Professor.

Snape was organising his collectings into different jars when she approached him. He didn't acknowledge her presence but she knew he had heard her coming.

"Sir?" Hermione was surprised at how weak and squeaky her voice could sound, but ignored it and continued, while trying to sound a little more confident.

"I've collected everything on the list, Sir." This earned her a deadly stare as he looked up at her with his cold, black eyes.

"Well then hand them over, Miss Granger," Snape said impatiently, motioning for her to give him the basket she had collected everything in.

It wasn't until Hermione stretched her arm out and her sweater crept up her wrist she saw that there was light coming from the two sapphires on her bracelet. Snape had noticed it as well, his eyes widening in surprise and anger as he grabbed her wrist almost painfully.

"Where did you get this?" She had never heard his voice so lethal before, and it sent shivers of fright down her spine.

"Answer me girl! Where did you get this bracelet?" Snape sounded if possible even more dangerous this time, but Hermione knew what was best for her, and answered.

"I- it was a gift. From my mother, I turn eighteen next week." Her voice wavered a bit, but she ignored it and continued.

"I didn't know it could light up like that, it has never done so before."

Snape looked at her suspiciously before releasing his grip on her hand slightly.

"And why would your mother give you a bracelet so conspicuously alike the Slytherin crest?"

She looked disbelievingly at him for a moment before she studied her bracelet. Hermione was speechless. The two blue sapphires were gone, replaced by green, sparkling emeralds, and the silvery circles had changed shape so that they looked like a serpent. The bracelet _did_ actually look like something designed for a Slytherin. Which made it so much more strange.

Hermione brought her gaze up to Snape, gaping while trying to form a sentence. He had still not let go of her hand, and he was now reaching to touch the bracelet with his other hand. And that's when they both felt that familiar, tugging sensation jerking them from their surroundings.

Hermione couldn't have told which of the two looked more surprised as they were suddenly somewhere far from the Forbidden Forest.

* * *

Remember to review! :)


	3. Questionable loyalties

I always highly appreciate reviews as they give me more confidence in a way. Thank you for all of them because they really encourage me to be a better writer. Thank you Sophie for pointing out those things for me as well! It's easy to lose perspective of where the story is going when writing many consecutive chapters. And if nobody tells me what I'm doing wrong, then how will I ever get better?

* * *

**Source of inspiration **

**Chapter three –**

**Questionable loyalties**

* * *

_However cold the wind and rain  
I'll be there to ease your pain  
However cruel the mirrors of sin  
Remember beauty is found within_

_ Beauty and the beast, Nightwish _

* * *

"I- Oh, we're-, er" As Hermione realised she couldn't get anything sensible to come out of her mouth, she gave up and closed it.

"I thank you for stopping before you tie yourself completely in verbal knots." Snape's icy remark was as cruel and sarcastic as ever, but the uncertainty and confusion in his voice was still evident.

Taking in their new surroundings, Hermione's confusion only grew. They were on some sort of grass field, though the grass was discoloured and grey, as was the sky above. The air was flaring around them like poisonous gas and everything was covered in a thick mist, blurring their surroundings further. It was like they had stepped into a dream.

Her dream. Out of a shadow came a silvery snake with two brilliant shining green eyes, writhing its way to the both of them. Instinctively Hermione grabbed Snape's arm as it came closer to them, and they both pulled backwards.

The snake was obviously ready to kill, it stood as a wild animal who had caught a scent of blood in the air. Poised for attack it neared them, and Snape protectively stepped in front of Hermione while pushing both of them even further backwards.

"Now now, Nagini. Come here, my dearest."

Hermione's eyes widened and she couldn't help her jaw dropping. She had no other reason than perception and process of elimination to make her decision, but she knew that the hoarse voice could only belong to one person. Voldemort.

"You will get your fun in time."

Out of the shadow stepped a man, though he could hardly be described as human. His eyes and were reptilian, not unlike the ones of his pet snake, and his face looked stretched, as though the skin was decaying. Which was probably what it was, Hermione mused frightened as she saw that the attire he was wearing was drenched in a substance she identified as unicorn's blood.

Pettigrew followed suit, with a wheelchair for his master. He was obviously weak, she could see it clearly in his behaviour.

"The bracelet should have brought one fish, not two if I remember clearly. I did not think Lucius had embedded you in his little plan, Severus. Or perhaps it was Draco who included his Head of House?"

The raspy, cruel sound of voice of Voldemort covered Hermione like a cloak of terror. And suddenly it dawned on Hermione and Severus both. The bracelet must have come from someone within Hogwarts, someone with the darkest and most powerful of contacts. Draco could have easily brought the gift to her, enclosing a letter with 'her mother's' handwriting. And Lucius Malfoy was definitely connected enough to have procured a portkey transformed into a silver bracelet.

And speak of the devil.

Out of the shadows stepped a tall man with silvery blonde hair spilling graciously over his shoulders. In his left hand he held a cane matching his dark green and black luxurious robes, in his right hand a black wand. He looked more confident than any man should look.

"Oh, I can assure you, Master, I did not include Severus in our plans. But his contact with the bracelet would explain the early transportation. However I must say I am quite disappointed at Draco for not managing to bring the Mudblood here himself." The contempt in his voice was so evident Hermione found it difficult to believe he was talking about his own son.

She jumped slightly as Snape spoke, having remained silent since their sudden depart from the Forbidden Forest.

"Forgive me Master," he said as he did a small bow, approaching him.

"But I was under the impression that no actions towards Hogwarts were to be made without my knowing?"

Silence. Voldemorts eyes were reduced to dark slits, looking at his death eater, and he did not speak for almost a minute.

"You have been let out of this plan because it was supposed to be Draco's first task before joining the line of Death Eaters. We wouldn't want the Head of House helping his little prodigy through this now, would we?" He sounded so full of contempt Hermione could not understand how so many could be attracted to risking their lives to fight his war.

"Then may I respectfully enquire as to what you were planning to do with the mudblood?" Snape was cold and spoke of her in distaste, as if she were nothing more than a pest one would do best to get rid of immediately.

Hermione flinched at his choice of words, though she knew that his staying in character was more important now than ever.

"Oh, I don't know Severus. I thought we might figure that out as we went along. However, seeing as Draco has failed his task, we should dispose of her now." He paused, turning his gaze to Malfoy senior, a playful smirk playing on his lips at the attention. Hermione squirmed, knowing perfectly well what would come next.

'But nothing could happen to her right? Surely Snape would save her?' The words of her own mind did nothing to reassure her, realising that she had no idea whether her professor would consider it worthy of the risk. She was pulled out of her own contemplations as Voldemort spoke again.

"Kill her. But don't play with her too long, Lucius, I wouldn't want for my followers to get too accustomed to the taste of mudbloods quite yet. The time will come soon enough."

Lucius looked as though Christmas had come early, eyeing Hermione hungrily.

"Come, Severus. I wanted to show you something." The reptilian man motioned for Pettigrew to move his wheelchair to the direction he was pointing.

Hermione, having almost abandoned all hope felt as though a two-ton weight had been pulled from her shoulders as Snape protested.

"But my Lord, the girl-"

"What interest do you have of this girl Severus? I didn't take your belongings did I?"

"Not my belonging, my Lord. Dumbledore's." Snape, seeing that he had gotten the attention of his master, elaborated.

"The old fool has always been sentimental, as we all know. Nonetheless, he _is _a powerful wizard, and angering him by killing one of his favourite students would perhaps not be the best way to deal with this, Master."

Voldemort eyed him suspiciously, speaking distastefully.

"Are you questioning my ability to run this war, Severus?"

"Not at all, Master," Snape said coolly. Hermione was momentarily fascinated by his ability to lie so blatantly into the face of the man who had killed so many in his life. If she knew one thing for certain, it was that she would forever have a newfound respect for the man from this day. Hermione once again turned her attention to her professor as he spoke once more.

"I was just saying that we could maybe use this to our advantage. Annoying as she is, the girl has proved herself to be quite adept at potions. And I cannot possibly manage to procure all the poisons you have requested without help."

Realising that her life was hanging on a very thin string, and that the insane, reptilian murderer was holding a knife against it, ready to cut it any minute, Hermione's heart was almost jumping out of her chest in fear. The silence that dominated was so overwhelming that she did not even dare to breathe, waiting for his response.

"Well then, Severus. You may take the girl. Obliviate her, then make her help you with the poisons we need."

Blissful relief surging through all the veins in her body and releasing a small breath, Hermione sent a grateful look to Snape, who's expression looked as cool and distasteful as ever.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get the filthy mudblood out of my sight."

Severus Snape did not hesitate in grabbing his student forcefully by the upper arm, pulling her with him to disapparate. To overcome with relief of their escape, none of them noticed the satisfied looks the Dark Lord sent after them as they disappeared with a 'pop.'

Voldemort turned to his most faithful servant.

"That went exceptionally well don't you think, Peter?"

Pettigrew, who had been watching intently from the sideline, did not answer his master, instead curiously looked at him.

"Is he a traitor, Master? Is Snape a follower of that fool Dumbledore?

"Have you learnt nothing of today, Pettigrew? Why waste precious time and energy questioning someone's loyalty when they can do it for you?"

* * *

Harry pushed the blanket off him and started pacing the Gryffindor common room. Hermione should have been back by now, she had been gone for two whole hours. 'If that bastard Snape has done anything to her' he thought, clenching his fists.

It couldn't possibly be allowed to keep students out till two in the morning anyway, even if it was for detention.

As his worrying for Hermione increased, his anger for Snape grew. Since the sixth year she and him had only grown closer as friends, while Ron had started to drift apart from them. His jealousy had always bothered Hermione, since she didn't like having anyone decide who she could see and not. If he couldn't learn to control his temper, Harry didn't know what they would have to do.

Glancing out the window in hope to see Hermione or Snape, he saw nothing else than darkness. 'That's it', he thought determinedly, he was going to look for her. And if he didn't find them, he would rapport them to Dumbledore. He would know what to do.

Grabbing a thick robe to protect him from the chilly May night, he slipped out from behind the Fat Lady.

As he started to descend the magical stairs, he could hear the sleepy voice of the painted woman grumbling from behind him.

"Sneaking off into the night, are we? She better be worth it..."

'_Don't worry, she is,'_ Harry thought before making his way down to the dungeons.

* * *

Once more, Severus' complicated position as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix had caused a mess for more people than himself. Looking down on the young, innocent girl leaning on his arm for support, the excitement of the day obviously more overwhelming than she would like, he couldn't help but feel that he had corrupted her fragile soul in some way. _Physically_, she was unharmed, yes, but the means in which he had pulled her out of Voldemort's grasp had connected her to the deranged murderer for the future. Until they could be rid of the madman, once and for all.

'Thankfully,' Severus repeated to himself, 'They had both escaped unharmed.' And that was the fact that was the most peculiar about the entire business. They had escaped _unharmed. _In all the time Severus had been in contact with the Dark Lord, he had not shown an inclination to let people get off the hook.

These were some interesting developments indeed, which he should share with Dumbledore immediately.

* * *

The dungeons had been empty, so Harry assumed they were out in the Forbidden Forest. Heading out in the gardens, he stopped dead in his tracks as he suddenly heard muffled sobbing. As he got closer to the sound, he saw a pale silhouette crouching under a bush trough the mist. Draco Malfoy.

His surprise was so overwhelming he could not stop a small sound escaping his lips. Malfoy's head jerked up at the sound, staring directly at Harry, his face red and splotched, and wearing an expression of helplessness Harry never thought he would see on someone like him.

Quickly coming to his senses, Draco rubbed his face with the sleeve of his robe, getting up on his feet, now staring furiously at Harry.

"If you tell, I swear I will hex you so bad you won't need to fear the Dark Lord anymore."

"Er, no..." Harry didn't even recognise his own voice as it came out of his mouth. He was still gaping when Draco shuffled off towards the school.

He wasn't sure why he hadn't used Draco's emotional state to his own advantage, but the expression he had seen on the normally bullying git had caught him completely off guard. Maybe it was because he had felt like that himself so much lately. Helpless because of all that was going on around and knowing that so many people depend on you. Harry was still lost in his thoughts when he suddenly crashed into someone else waiting outside Snape's classroom.

Draco.

"Are you following me, Potter? Don't get enough drama in you life as it is, so you decide to entertain yourself with someone else's?" His voice was cold enough to freeze the air around them.

"Er, no, I was just looking for Snape." Again Harry was surprised at how meekly he was speaking, but he still hadn't quite recovered from the surprise of what he had seen earlier.

"He's not here." Draco quipped.

"Well, I know that." Finally he could get some bite into his tones.

Draco looked suspiciously at Harry before asking.

"Do you know where he is?"

"If I did, do you think I would tell you?"

"We're both here well past curfew you know, only difference is I'm Head Boy and you're not. It'll be no problem for me to report you, saying I only came out to investigate a sound."

"Then why don't I inform the school about your little bawl in the garden today?"

Silence.

"Wouldn't matter anyway." Draco sounded strangely defeated, and Harry hesitated slightly before asking.

"Why?"

"I thought you weren't interested in my drama?"

"When I find my arch enemy and nemesis bawling his eyes out in the garden past curfew, I become interested."

"Quid pro quo, Potter."

Another silence.

"Hermione got detention with Snape." Harry admitted finally.

"They should have been back long ago, and I've been everywhere on the school grounds looking for them, but I can't find them anywhere."

"They're not here, as you see. Been looking for Professor Snape for a while, can't find him anywhere."

"Well?"

"Well what, Potter? You should never trust a Malfoy. Get out of my sight before I rapport you."

"Oh don't even-"Harry was almost shaking with fury. Here he was, sharing his troubles with none other than _Malfoy, _a fact which he already had blamed on temporary insanity, but then the git has the nerve of attempting to rapport him for breaking curfew.

"Don't even what, Potter?" Malfoy was challenging him now, provoking him, practically begging to give him a reason to call a teacher.

"Oh get off it, Malfoy! I don't know what your murdering father is telling you at home, but you are not as great as you think you are! Waltzing around the hallway thinking you're all that because you're rich, the _Slytherin sex god,_" Harry's voice was oozing with sarcasm,

"For years you and your big goons have been riding the wave of favoritism, hardly picking up a quill in Potions, while pestering me and my friends to no end-"He took a break to breath a little, while glaring dangerously at Malfoy, as if daring him to speak, to interrupt his speech.

"And now, I see the slightest hint that there might live something remotely_ human _inside you, so I trust you enough to tell you what I came here for, and you don't even have the decency to give me a simple answer?"

The silence that had dominated the space between the two was more overwhelming now than before. Harry was just waiting for the angry retort, but none came.

"Death Eater initiation." Draco said, sounding as resigned and defeated as earlier.

Harry, still breathless from having let out all of his rage, looked up surprised. He didn't know whether he had really expected Draco to explain what had happened at all, he had just seen a chance to tell him off for being such a stupid git all these years.

"What?" Harry sounded, not surprisingly, incredulous.

"Father made Voldemort give me an initiation mission of kidnapping Granger. He though it would be a great idea to snatch one of your friends from right before your eyes, showing that nobody is safe, even at Hogwarts. He disguised a bracelet as a gift from Granger's parents, and charmed it so that if a Death Eater, or an initiate to the order," Draco pointed to himself,

"touched it, they would instantly apparate to the Dark Lord's hiding-place. I couldn't tell him I didn't want to, so I reckoned my only chance was to tell Dumbledore when the time came."

Seeing Harry's expression become even more shocked and angry, he decided against concluding his explanation there, and he continued, speaking in a strained voice as though Filch was making him to scrub the bedpans in the Infirmiry.

"I know I've been a complete git these last years. But you were right. I've been following my father without even asking any questions as to _why. _And I came to realise that even though I might dislike you, I have no interest in seeing you _dead_._" _It was then Draco realised that maybe Potter was more worried about the plot against his best friend than _why _he was breaking free from the traditional family values.

"Don't worry, Potter," Draco spat.

"Since it can only be activated by the touch of a Death Eater, I suppose your little friend is just fine."

"You insipid little prat!" Harry shouted.

"I just told you she was on detention with Snape!"

Suddenly the revelation dawned on Draco and his face fell.

"Oh..." he meeked.

Harry stood there for a while, fuming, and completely amazed at Draco's ignorance. Then he pullet at his sleeve and stalked up the dungeons dragging Draco behind him.

He didn't seem to mind very much.

* * *

Please read and review!


End file.
